Burning wood and coal in the home

Regularly maintaining your open fire or stove means it will use less fuel to produce more heat and perform better.

To properly maintain your appliance you should:

• always use your open fire or stove in line with the manufacturer and installer’s guidance, including only burning suitable fuels
• make sure your open fire or stove is installed by a registered/certified installer - if you’re unsure whether your current system was installed correctly, you may want to consider having it serviced
• have your stove serviced once a year
• consider buying a new stove that has a Defra exemption, or an Ecodesign Compliant stove
• get your chimney swept at least once a year as soot and tar build up in your chimney over time, reducing its efficiency and increasing the risk of chimney fires